La Salle University, Mexico

Mexico City, Cuernavaca, and Bajio

Union has exchange programs with three La Salle University campuses in Mexico. All three campuses have engineering programs that are quite similar to ours in content, facilities, and teaching philosophy.  The fall semester fits well with ours, starting in August and ending at the beginning of December. The spring semester would require a Union student to spend both our winter and spring terms in Mexico (late January to the middle of June).  Mexico City Curenavaca Bajio Additional Information Exchange Partner Information SheetExchange Partner Information Sheet (Downloadable Version, MS Word)

Information Packet and Application for Exchange StudentsInformation Packet and Application for Exchange Students (Downloadable Version, MS Word) Instructions Compiled by Patrick Lingane, Union's First Exchange Student with La Salle, Mexico CityInstructions Compiled by Patrick Lingane, Union's First Exchange Student with La Salle, Mexico City (Downloadable Version, MS Word) La Salle University, Mexico City

Profile

Founded more than 30 years ago, La Salle has a student body of about 10,000 students including those at the preparatory, undergraduate and graduate levels. The central campus houses all schools except the School of Medicine, which is located in the south of the city. Classrooms are supplemented by laboratories, workshops and a language center. There is one computer for every 20 students.  University facilities include 14 auditoria, a library with multi-media services and an art gallery, a gymnasium, outdoor swimming pool, ball courts, a cafeteria and snack bars. The university Cultural Center offers a variety of artistic activities, while the Center for International Education provides support services for foreign students and faculty. 

Mexico City Campus

Locale

La Salle's central location in Mexico City provides easy access to almost any part of the city. Two “metro” subway lines are within a five minute walk and inexpensive bus and taxi service are at the nearest corner. The campus is within view of Chapultepec Castle and park, with its renowned Museum of Anthropology and other sites of interest. The Zocalo, which is the historical and government center of Mexico, the Paseo de la Reforma avenue and the touristy “Pink Zone” are all within 15 minutes of campus. A major urban center and capital for more than 1,000 years, Mexico City is one of the most interesting places on earth. It is also the largest city in the world at 25 million people.

About 50 km NE of Mexico City is one of the most important archeological sites in Mexico, Teotihuacan. Here are the Piramides del Sol y de la Luna and the Calzada de los Muertos (Pyramids of the Sun and Moon and the Avenue of the Dead). It was mexicos largest ancient

city, and the capital of what was probably Mexico’s largest pre-Hispanic empire. A grid plan for the city was developed around the early part of the 1st century AD. The Piramid del Sol was built, over an earlier cave shrine, by AD150. Most of the rest of the city was built between about AD 250 and 600. Social, environmental, and economic factors hastened its decline and eventual collapse in the 7th century AD. An all day, English speaking tour is about $30 from Mexico City, and is well worth the money. The climb up the pyramids takes a while, but the view from the top is spectacular. Looking down on the layout of the city you can easily imagine what it must have been like for the local inhabitants in its prime. Pictures of Teotihuacan can be found at Lasalle, Mexico\Teothuacan.htm

The Basilica de Guadelupe, which is the Mexican equivalent of the Cathedral of Guadalupe in Spain, is also in Mexico City. A shepherd reportedly saw a vision of the Virgin Mary at this site, and numerous miracles are attributed to it. There is a huge plaza in front of the churches (there are actually three on the site) where the Pope has visited several times and preached to hundreds of thousands of the faithful. The older main cathedral is of interest from a civil engineering standpoint. Much of Mexico City is built on an old lake bed, and the foundation conditions are not the best. They didn’t know this when they built the cathedral, and over the centuries it has settled much like the old addition to Schaffer Library. It got to the point that the structure was unsafe, so they closed it and built a new, very modern, cathedral on the end of the plaza. However, people still wanted to use the older, more traditional, cathedral. So a few years ago they bored under the cathedral and placed an entirely new foundation of piles and steel girders underneath it, so if any future settlement took place the whole structure would settle as a unit. Then they braced the interior. Pictures of Basilica de Guadelupe, MC can be viewed at Lasalle, Mexico\Basilica de Guadelupe.htm. You can see the settlement, the inside bracing, and the misalignment of the interior columns in the pictures. There is also a picture of three security guards and a huge Rotweiler. The picture shows the type of security evident in public places.

Programs

The engineering school was started in 1964. Presently there are about 1200 engineering students, with the largest cohort being in Cybernetics and Computer Systems Engineering (~600 students). The University web site URL is www.ulsa.edu.mx. However, it is all in Spanish. There are programs in Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Mechatronics. If you click on Offerta Educativa, then Licenturas, you can navigate the various program web sites. They offer comparable programs in computer science, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and mechatronics.

Many of the faculty and most of the students appear to speak excellent English. Students at the MC campus must have at least a 550 TOEFL language score in English to continue their third year in engineering, which means they should be fairly fluent. Laboratory technicians would be a good example of those whose English is probably not as good as the norm. Most of the text books they use are in English. However Union students will still have to have a decent mastery of Spanish, as classes are in Spanish. Four years of Spanish in high school and two courses at Union should be sufficient.

La Salle offers three-week intensive language courses that cost $200/student when combined with other programs. La Salle provides intercultural relations orientation for all programs.

Laboratories and Facilities

Facilities were modern and well maintained. Computer equipment is up to date and numerous computer classrooms and multi-use laboratories. Experimental and teaching laboratories are more than adequate. It is evident that the laboratories are very hands on, and the students get to run the machinery. A fair amount of state-of-the-art equipment is present and being used by the students.

It is the general view in Mexico that only the state institutions do research, however La Salle University Mexico City is trying to dispel that stereotype. They have an active research center, and involve undergrads a good bit in their research. It is through the research center that they have developed their walking machine projects. This campus hosted the international walking machine contest in 2002. They are also active in the mini-Baja competition.

Student Housing

Mexican universities normally do not have dorms. Home stay parents are screened carefully, and they say that home stays are in good neighborhoods within walking distance to the campus. Students fill out a family characteristics preference form and La Salle tries to match them up. La Salle supervises the home stays and pays the families through their cashier, so that the student does not have to negotiate with the family. The cost for a private room with bed linens is between $440 and $275 per month, depending on how many meals the student takes with the family. There is a $110 U.S. placement fee, which guarantees any changes necessary during the semester. A nurse and doctor are on call at all times. It appears that student support is very good. There is also a $125/semester student services fee. All housing and fees have to be paid in cash, in either US or Mexican currency.

Security

The campus is walled, with security guards at each entrance. Entrants are required to show ID cards. Joan Landeros, Head of the International Relations Office, reports that La Salle was named the safest campus in Mexico City. The consensus line was that crime is not a big problem, as long as students are prudent and don’t call attention to themselves. Anyone who gets drunk in a bar is asking for trouble, as is anyone who goes out alone at night. It seems that pickpockets are a problem, but violent crime is rare. Students should use a secure wallet, and not keep it in an outside pocket. Students would be wise not to bring laptops or other expensive electronic equipment. The orientation briefing given by the International Relations Office will describe which sections of the city not to venture into. A general rule is don’t go out with anything you aren’t willing to lose.

Taxi crime can be a problem, but not generally if you are careful. Use the official yellow “Transportation Terrestre” cabs from the airport. You pay the cab fare at a booth outside customs, then take your ticket outside to the taxi stand. The bus stations have a similar setup. Elsewhere you can phone a radio taxi and ask the dispatcher for the driver’s name and license plate number. Hotels and restaurants are nearly always able to call a reliable taxi. The State Department specifically warns against taking taxis parked outside the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), in front of nightclubs or restaurants, or cruising anywhere in the city. You want to stay away from the green VW taxis.

People will come up to you in the airport and want to carry your bags for you. Don’t let them. At the least they will want a tip, and they may be part of a robbery ring.

The Metro is a reliable and economical way of getting around the city, although the stations and trains are extremely crowded during rush hours. Pickpockets love the crowds on the metro, or any other places where tourists congregate.

Program Opportunities

La Salle runs public service summer programs with poorer regions around Mexico City. Students do infrastructure work such as road, storm water drainage, and water supply system design. Some construction supervision may be involved also. Although the work is oriented towards civil engineering, most any engineering student should be able to contribute. These programs are run in the month of July.

Student Life Opportunities

Smog in Mexico City can be a problem, especially in combination with the 7,000 foot altitude. Ozone is the primary pollutant. Students with respiratory problems probably shouldn’t be there. 

There are a wealth of cultural and entertainment opportunities in and around Mexico City.

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La Salle University, Bajio (Leon)

Profile

There are about 650 engineering students, with industrial engineering being the largest cohort. Degrees are also offered in electronic and telecommunications engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, civil engineering, and computer and systems engineering. In addition, the university has a dental school that is accredited by the California Dental Board so the graduates from La Salle can go directly to practice in California if they want to.

Bajio Campus

 Additional Pictures Locale

The city of Leon has 1.2 million residents, and is generally much cleaner than Mexico City. It is still fairly high in altitude at 1854 m. The La Salle campus is in one of the better sections, up on a hill with excellent views of the city and valley. Leon has historically been the center of the cattle industry. The major industries today are glove making and other leather goods, leather

tanning, footwear, steel, textiles, and soap. There is also a large GM assembly plant just outside town.

Leon is about a one hour flight from Mexico City, then about 30 minutes by cab to the campus. The alternative is a 392 km, 5 hour bus ride. Generally the executive or first class buses are a good, economical, way to go. The cost of the bus is roughly a fifth the cost of the airfare-taxi combo.

Programs

Fewer faculty at La Salle Bajio are proficient in English, and the student language proficiency is not as high as in Mexico City. Students would definitely have to have a working proficiency in Spanish.

The website for the university is www.delasalle.edu.mx, but again it is entirely in Spanish.

They do the mini-Baja.

Laboratories and Facilities

Laboratory equipment was not as modern as in Mexico City, but appeared to be well maintained, and the facilities were clean and well organized. Some computer equipment was up to date, while some labs had older PCs.

Distance learning is conducted from a modern studio.

One dormitory for 120 men is located on site. Another dorm for women is contemplated.

Home-stays are arranged for exchange students.

Security

The campus is again walled and access controlled. However, security doesn’t appear to be as tight as in Mexico City. The campus is in a newer section, on a hillside overlooking the city and valley. The International Relations Office staff claim that crime is no worse than in any city, and much better than Mexico City.

Student Life Opportunities

Leon is advertised as an industrial city, but you wouldn’t know it from outward appearnces. There is a U.S. style shopping center (with mostly U.S. stores) about a half mile away, and numerous restaurants within a reasonable distance from the campus. Parts of the city are old but it is generally clean.

Air pollution is much less of a problem in Leon than in Mexico City.

About an hour away by bus is Guanajuato, which is a city of 73,000 crammed into the steep slopes of a ravine, with narrow cobbled streets that twist around the hillsides and dive

underground into a series of tunnels. It was settled in 1559 because the silver and gold deposits in the area are among the richest in the world. Much of the rich colonial architecture still remains intact. Guanajuato has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It also is home to a 21,000 student university which is noted for its arts programs. The rich architectural heritage, exotic setting, and vibrant and youthful cultural life should make Guanajuato an interesting place for students to visit.

Back La Salle University, Cuernavaca

Profile

This is a small program at a small campus. The entire student body is around 1400, with about 150 engineers. English is probably the least prevalent here of the three campuses. All of the faculty except for the Director are part time.  Cuernavaca Campus

 Locale

Cuernavaca has a population of about 350,000 and is at an altitude of 1480 meters (Mexico City is at 2240 m). It is on the other side of a mountain range from Mexico City so the air quality is generally much better. The climate is mild, and has been described as “eternal spring.” Cuernavaca has been a retreat for Mexico City residents ever since colonial times. It is also know for its many Spanish language schools.

Cuernavaca is 89 km from Mexico City, 1.75 hours by bus from the airport and 1.25 hrs by bus from downtown.

Cortez built a palace in Cuernavaca on the base of a pyramid he destroyed. He resided there until he returned to Spain in 1540. The palace (Palacio de Cortes) is still in existence, and is now a museum highlighting the history and cultures of Mexico.

Programs

Degrees are offered in computer science, cybernetics and computer systems engineering, mechanical and energy systems engineering, mechatronics and process system control engineering, civil engineering, industrial engineering, and electrical energy and electronics systems engineering.

They build cars and participate in an electric vehicle competition each year. The following web site www.geocities.com/escuderiaulsac/intro2.htm gives a description in Spanish of their experience. However, even if you don’t read Spanish it is worth browsing through the picture gallery. It shows the type of lab facilities they have and the quality of work the student produce.

Laboratories and Facilities

Laboratory facilities were the least modern of the three campuses, but still clean and well maintained, and the equipment appeared to be in working order. They do have an industrial robot all set up for the students to program.

No dorms for students.

Most of their home-stay experience has been at the high school level, but they don’t think it would be a problem to accommodate our students.

Security

Campus is walled and access controlled. Security doesn’t seem to be as much of an issue in Cuernavaca, but wherever you have lots of tourists, and here the tourists include the rich from Mexico City, you are going to have pickpocketing and similar types of crimes.

Student Life Opportunities

Cuernavaca is an interesting city, but is somewhat limited in the variety of nightlife and recreation available. However, Mexico City is only a little over an hour away, and Tasco, a silver mining town, is about 80 km (1.5 hrs by bus) away in the other direction. According to the Lonely Planet Guide, Taxco is a “gorgeous colonial antique, and one of the most picturesque and pleasant places in Mexico. Clinging to a steep hillside, its narrow cobblestone streets twist and turn between well-worn buildings, open unexpectedly onto pretty plazas, and reveal delightful vistas at every corner.” Acapulco is 315 km away, or about 4 hrs by bus.

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